OSRS Ironman Crafting Guide (1-99): Superglass Make & Zenytes
Start with quests (1-40 for free), then Superglass Make with giant seaweed (40-77). Train via dhide bodies for speed (63+) or Dorgesh-Kaan lamps for efficiency (87-99). Buy daily battlestaves from Zaff with Varrock diaries. Glory amulets at 80, zenyte jewelry at 89+.
Crafting on an ironman is all about resource management. Here’s how to train it efficiently without burning your entire bank.
At a glance:
- Best early method: Quests (1-40 instant) → Superglass Make with giant seaweed
- Fast XP: Dhide bodies (green at 63, black at 84 for 425k XP/hr)
- Efficient method: Dorgesh-Kaan light orb lamps (87-99, cheap + bonus Firemaking XP)
- Daily routine: Buy battlestaves from Zaff (unlock with Varrock diaries)
Why Crafting Matters
Crafting unlocks essential ironman progression:
Combat gear:
- Dragonhide armour (40-70 Ranged gear)
- Glory amulets (80 Crafting - teleports + combat bonuses)
- Zenyte jewellery (89-98 - BiS jewellery)
Diary requirements:
- 70 Crafting for Lumbridge & Draynor Hard (power amulet from scratch)
- 85+ for various Elite diaries
Money making:
- Superglass Make: 700k+ GP/hr profit
- Battlestaves: 300k+ daily profit (Elite Varrock diary)
When Should You Train Crafting?
Crafting has specific breakpoints that matter for progression:
Rush to 80 first:
- Glory amulets (80 Crafting + 68 Magic) save hundreds of hours
- Prioritise this over many other skills early-game
Train passively to 87:
- Daily battlestaves from Zaff (unlock Varrock diaries)
- Superglass Make during downtime
- No need to grind hard until 87
Power grind 87-99:
- Dorgesh-Kaan lamps are worth focused training
- Do this when you need a break from combat
Early Game (1-40)
Skip the grind entirely with quests.
Quest XP (1-40 Instant)
| Quest | Crafting XP | Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Elemental Workshop I | 5,000 | None |
| Elemental Workshop II | 7,500 | Elemental Workshop I |
| Murder Mystery | 1,406 | None |
| The Giant Dwarf | 2,500 | None |
Total: 16,406 XP (level 1 → 35 instantly)
XP Lamps (use on Crafting):
- Temple of the Eye: 9,210 XP lamp → Pushes you past 40
- Lunar Diplomacy: 5,000 XP lamp (also unlocks Superglass Make)
Alternative: Leather (1-20)
If you’re training before quests:
- Kill cows in Lumbridge for cowhides
- Tan at Al Kharid (5 gp each)
- Craft leather gloves (1+) → leather bodies (14+)
- 217 leather needed to reach 20 (~70k cost)
Not recommended - quests are faster.
Gold Jewellery (20-40)
If you still need levels after quests:
- 20-40: Sapphire amulets (55 XP) → Emerald amulets (70 XP)
- XP rate: 50-70k/hr at Edgeville furnace
- Cost: Moderate (buy gold ore from Blast Furnace or mine it)
Mid Game (40-77)
This is where ironmen diverge from mains. Superglass Make is your best friend.
Superglass Make - The Ironman Staple
The Superglass Make spell transforms buckets of sand + seaweed into molten glass instantly.
Why it’s essential:
- XP rates: 108-153k Crafting XP/hr (600-850 casts/hr)
- Profit: 700k+ GP/hr
- Materials: Self-sustainable via giant seaweed farming
- Bonus: Builds glass stockpile for Construction and more Crafting later
Requirements:
- Lunar Diplomacy quest
- 77 Magic (or boost from 72 with Wizard’s mind bomb)
- Giant seaweed farming (23 Farming recommended)
How it works:
- Use 3 giant seaweed + 18 buckets of sand per cast
- Cast Superglass Make → Creates ~27-30 molten glass (1.6x multiplier)
- Each cast gives ~180 Crafting XP + 78 Magic XP
- Bank and repeat
Giant Seaweed Farming (Fossil Island)
Setup:
- Complete Bone Voyage quest (unlock Fossil Island)
- Get seaweed spores (buy from Mernia near seaweed patches, or gather underwater)
- Plant in underwater seaweed patches (2 patches available)
- Use ultracompost for best yield
- Wait 40 minutes → Harvest 15-34 giant seaweed per patch
Banking giant seaweed:
- Use Fish Barrel (40 Fishing) to store 28 seaweed per slot
- Or bank normally at Fossil Island
Sustainability:
- 2 seaweed runs per day = ~60-120 giant seaweed
- That’s 20-40 Superglass Make casts = 3,600-7,200 Crafting XP per run
- Fully sustainable with regular farming
Buckets of Sand - Three Methods
Option 1: Sandstone Grinding (Best)
- Location: Bandit Camp Quarry (Desert)
- Requirements: 35 Mining
- Method:
- Mine sandstone at quarry
- Deposit in Sandstorm grinder (west of quarry)
- Collect buckets of sand (50 coins per bucket from Drew)
- Rates: 2,000-3,500 buckets/hr (up to 6,000/hr with tick manipulation)
Option 2: Charter Ships (Easy)
- Buy from Trader Crewmembers at charter ship docks
- 10 buckets of sand per world stock
- World hop to buy in bulk
- Port Khazard closest to bank
Option 3: Yanille (Low Effort)
- Buy from Trader Crewmember in Yanille (house portal)
- 40 buckets of sand per stock
- Slower than sandstone but requires no mining
Glassbowing (After Superglass Make)
Once you have molten glass, blow it into items:
| Item | Level | XP | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beer glass | 1 | 17.5 | Very early |
| Lantern lens | 49 | 55 | Mid-game |
| Empty light orb | 87 | 70 | Dorgesh-Kaan lamps |
| Dorgeshuun light sphere | 87 | 104 | Dorgesh-Kaan lamps |
XP rates: Up to 120k/hr glassbowing
Guardians of the Rift (Passive Alternative)
An AFK-friendly minigame that provides passive Crafting XP alongside Runecrafting training.
Requirements: None (accessible from level 1)
Why consider it:
- 5,000-6,000 Crafting XP/hr (passive while training Runecrafting)
- No material costs
- Useful rewards for ironmen (Raiments of the Eye outfit, abyssal needle, pearls)
- Good for early-game accounts without Lunar Diplomacy
How it works:
- Create guardian essence and power up the Great Guardian
- XP rewards scale with your Crafting level
- Can be combined with Runecrafting training
Verdict: Not the fastest Crafting method, but excellent passive XP if you’re training Runecrafting anyway. Don’t grind this solely for Crafting XP.
Dragonhide Bodies (63-84)
Fast XP but requires gathering hides. Here’s the progression:
Green D’hide Bodies (63-71)
- XP: 186 per body
- Rate: ~300k XP/hr
- Materials: 3 green dragon leather + needle & thread
- To wear: 40 Ranged, 40 Defence, Dragon Slayer I
Gathering green dhides:
- Kill green dragons in Wilderness (various locations)
- 100% drop rate on green dragonhide + dragon bones
- Low HP, easy to kill
Blue D’hide Bodies (71-77)
- XP: 210 per body
- Rate: ~350k XP/hr
- Materials: 3 blue dragon leather + needle & thread
- To wear: 50 Ranged, 40 Defence
Gathering blue dhides:
- Taverley Dungeon (most popular - safespot available)
- Catacombs of Kourend (good for Slayer tasks)
- Baby blue dragons (lower combat level, same drops)
Red D’hide Bodies (77-84)
- XP: 234 per body
- Rate: ~400k XP/hr
- Materials: 3 red dragon leather + needle & thread
- To wear: 60 Ranged, 40 Defence
- Cost: 5-7 GP/XP (moderate loss)
Black D’hide Bodies (84-99)
- XP: 258 per body
- Rate: 425-500k XP/hr
- Materials: 3 black dragon leather + needle & thread
- To wear: 70 Ranged, 40 Defence
- Cost: 200M+ to 99 (huge loss)
Verdict: Black dhide bodies are the fastest XP in the game, but extremely expensive. Only do this if you’re GP-rich or rushing 99.
Dorgesh-Kaan Light Orb Lamps (87-99)
The most efficient method for 87-99.
What Are They?
Fix broken light orbs throughout Dorgesh-Kaan (goblin city) for massive XP.
Requirements:
- 87 Crafting
- 44 Thieving
- 52 Firemaking
- The Lost Tribe quest
Method:
- Blow molten glass into empty light orbs (70 Crafting XP each)
- Add cave goblin wire (104 Crafting XP per orb)
- Fix broken lamps throughout Dorgesh-Kaan (500 Crafting + 500 Firemaking XP per lamp)
- Bonus: +2,500 Crafting + 2,500 Firemaking XP per 50 lamps fixed
XP rates:
- Beginners: 90k Crafting XP/hr
- Experienced: 130k Crafting XP/hr
- Also gives: 90k Firemaking XP/hr + 4k Thieving XP/hr
Why it’s the best:
- Cheap (only molten glass from Superglass Make)
- Bonus Firemaking and Thieving XP
- No major GP loss
- Sustainable
Battlestaves (Daily Routine)
Zaff in Varrock sells battlestaves daily. Buy them every day and craft for passive XP + profit.
Daily stock (unlocked via Varrock Diary):
- No diary: 5 battlestaves (7,000 gp each)
- Easy diary: 15 battlestaves
- Medium diary: 30 battlestaves
- Hard diary: 60 battlestaves
- Elite diary: 120 battlestaves
Stock resets: 00:00 UTC daily
Crafting battlestaves:
- 137.5 XP per staff
- Air battlestaves: 330k XP/hr
- Water battlestaves: 250k XP/hr
Profit:
- Elite diary = 120 battlestaves/day
- Sell back to Grand Exchange or high alch for 300k+ daily profit
Zenyte Jewellery (89-98)
Endgame jewellery crafting for BiS gear.
What is Zenyte?
Zenyte is obtained from Demonic Gorillas (1/300 drop rate). You need 4 zenytes total for the full set.
Crafting levels:
- Cut zenyte: 89 Crafting (50 XP per cut)
- Zenyte ring: 89 Crafting (150 XP)
- Zenyte necklace: 92 Crafting (165 XP)
- Zenyte amulet: 98 Crafting (200 XP)
- Zenyte bracelet: 95 Crafting (180 XP)
XP rates: ~180k/hr at 1,200 crafts/hr
Verdict: Only craft the zenytes you need for gear. Don’t use them for training - they’re too rare and valuable.
Glory Amulets (80 Crafting)
Amulet of Glory is essential for ironmen - teleports to Edgeville, Karamja, Draynor, and Al Kharid.
How to make:
- Mine dragonstones (rare from gem rocks, or buy from Tzhaar)
- Cut dragonstone (55 Crafting)
- String into amulet of glory (unstrung) at 80 Crafting
- Enchant with Lvl-5 Enchant (68 Magic)
Alternative sources:
- Prifddinas gem rocks (high chance)
- Tzhaar gem shop (300k coins per dragonstone)
- Chambers of Xeric rewards
Key Milestones
| Level | Unlock | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 40 | Green dragonhide items | Start crafting ranged armour |
| 54 | Battlestaves | Daily XP + profit from Zaff |
| 63 | Green d’hide bodies | First major XP boost (300k/hr) |
| 71 | Blue d’hide bodies | Better XP (350k/hr) |
| 77 | Red d’hide bodies | Fast training option (400k/hr) |
| 80 | Glory amulets | Essential teleports for ironmen |
| 84 | Black d’hide bodies | Fastest dhide XP (425k/hr) |
| 87 | Dorgesh-Kaan lamps | Best efficiency method to 99 |
| 89 | Cut zenyte, zenyte rings | BiS jewellery progression |
| 92 | Zenyte necklaces | Torture amulet (melee BiS) |
| 98 | Zenyte amulets | Anguish (ranged BiS) |
| 99 | Crafting cape | Teleport + flex |
Efficient vs Profitable Methods
Fastest XP (Cost Not Considered)
- Black d’hide bodies (84+): 425-500k XP/hr - Costs 200M+ to 99
- Red d’hide bodies (77+): 400k XP/hr - 5-7 GP/XP
- Blue d’hide bodies (71+): 350k XP/hr - Moderate cost
- Air battlestaves (54+): 330k XP/hr - Moderate loss
Most Efficient (XP + Cost Balance)
- Dorgesh-Kaan lamps (87-99): 90-130k XP/hr - Cheap, bonus Firemaking XP
- Superglass Make (40-77): 108-153k XP/hr - Profitable!
- Green d’hide bodies (63-71): 300k XP/hr - Moderate cost, easy to gather
Profitable Methods
- Superglass Make: 700k+ GP/hr + 108-153k Crafting XP/hr
- Daily battlestaves (Elite Varrock): 16,500 XP + 300k profit for 2 mins
- Gem cutting: Varies by gem type (slow XP but cheap)
XP vs Cost Comparison
Full breakdown from 1-99:
| Method | XP/hr | GP/XP | Total Cost to 99 | Time to 99 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black dhide bodies (84-99) | 425k | -15 GP/XP | 200M+ loss | ~30 hours |
| Red dhide bodies (77-99) | 400k | -6 GP/XP | 80M+ loss | ~32 hours |
| Dorgesh-Kaan lamps (87-99) | 130k | ~0 GP/XP | Near zero | ~100 hours |
| Superglass Make (40-99) | 110k | +6.4 GP/XP | 84M profit | ~120 hours |
| Guardians of the Rift | 5-6k | 0 GP/XP | Free | ~2,200 hours (passive) |
| Daily battlestaves only | 16.5k/day | Profitable | 300k profit/day | ~800 days |
Recommended Path (Most Efficient)
| Stage | Method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1-40 | Quests (Elemental Workshop I & II, Temple of the Eye) | Free 25k+ XP, skip early grind |
| 40-63 | Superglass Make + glassbowing | Build glass stockpile, profit, sustainable |
| 63-71 | Green d’hide bodies | Fast XP boost (300k/hr) |
| 71-77 | Blue d’hide bodies | Faster XP (350k/hr) |
| 77-87 | Mix of Superglass Make + red d’hide bodies | Balance speed and cost |
| 87-99 | Dorgesh-Kaan light orb lamps | Most efficient, bonus Firemaking XP |
Daily routine (all levels):
- Buy battlestaves from Zaff (unlock Varrock diaries)
- Farm giant seaweed (2 patches, 40 mins growth)
- Mine sandstone during downtime
Alternative Path (Casual/AFK)
| Stage | Method | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 1-40 | Quests | Free XP |
| 40-99 | Pure Superglass Make + glassbowing | Fully sustainable, AFK-friendly, builds massive glass stockpile |
Pros:
- No dhide gathering required
- Profitable
- Sustainable forever
- Lower effort
Cons:
- Slower XP rates (~110k/hr avg)
- Takes longer to 99
Superglass Make Setup (Detailed)
Inventory:
- 3 giant seaweed (cooked)
- 18 buckets of sand
- Astral runes, fire runes (staff of fire or fire rune pouch)
- Remainder: more seaweed + sand for multiple casts
Location:
- Bank at Lunar Isle or use portable fairy ring/house teleport
Process:
- Withdraw 3 giant seaweed + 18 buckets of sand
- Cast Superglass Make (requires Lunar spellbook)
- Receive ~27-30 molten glass (1.6x multiplier)
- Bank glass, repeat
XP breakdown:
- 180 Crafting XP + 78 Magic XP per cast
- 600-850 casts/hour = 108-153k Crafting XP/hr
Common Mistakes
- Skipping quests - Elemental Workshop I & II alone save 10+ hours of early training
- Not farming giant seaweed - Superglass Make is THE ironman crafting method. Start seaweed runs early.
- Rushing black d’hide bodies too early - 200M+ to 99. Only do this late-game when you’re GP-rich.
- Ignoring Varrock diaries - Elite diary = 120 battlestaves/day = 16.5k daily XP + 300k profit
- Not unlocking Dorgesh-Kaan - Best efficiency method 87-99. Do The Lost Tribe quest.
- Using zenytes for training XP - They’re too rare. Only craft the 4 you need for BiS gear.
- Forgetting to mine sandstone - One hour of mining = weeks of Superglass Make supplies
FAQ
What’s the fastest way to 99 Crafting?
Black d’hide bodies (84-99) at 425-500k XP/hr. But it costs 200M+ GP. For ironmen, Dorgesh-Kaan lamps (87-99) are faster considering gathering time.
Is Superglass Make worth it?
Absolutely. It’s profitable, sustainable, and builds a glass stockpile you’ll use for Construction and more Crafting later. Every ironman should use this method.
How much does 99 Crafting cost?
Depends on method:
- Superglass Make (40-99): Profit!
- Dorgesh-Kaan lamps (87-99): Near zero cost
- Mix of methods: 20-50M GP
- Black d’hide bodies only: 200M+ GP loss
When should I start farming giant seaweed?
As soon as you complete Bone Voyage (unlock Fossil Island). Giant seaweed is essential for Superglass Make and grows in 40 minutes. Start early and build a stockpile.
Should I do Varrock diaries for battlestaves?
Yes. Even Easy diary (15 battlestaves/day) is worth it. Elite diary (120/day) is a long-term goal but gives 16.5k daily Crafting XP for 2 minutes of work.
What’s the cheapest method to 99?
Superglass Make from 40-99. It’s actually profitable (700k+ GP/hr) while giving decent XP (108-153k/hr). Or use Dorgesh-Kaan lamps from 87-99 for near-zero cost.
When should I make my first glory amulet?
As soon as you hit 80 Crafting and 68 Magic. Glory teleports save hundreds of hours. Get dragonstones from Tzhaar shop or gem rocks.
Related Guides
- Prayer Guide - Dragon bones from green/blue dragons
- Farming Guide - Giant seaweed farming for Superglass Make
- Mining Guide - Sandstone grinding for buckets of sand
- Smithing Guide - Gold bars for jewellery crafting